1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications, and, in particular, to aerial terminals for distributing drop wires to customers from multi-wire distribution cables.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional aerial terminal is a terminal for distributing communication signals from a multi-wire cable to customers via conventional paired-conductor drop wires, such as twisted-pair drops, F-drops, or C rural drops. For purposes of this specification, the term "communication signals" covers telephony, video, data, and any other signal, included interactive signals, that can be carried over a conventional paired-conductor drop wire. An aerial terminal allows wires to be "broken out" of the distribution cable running through one chamber of the aerial terminal (i.e., the splice chamber) and spliced to stub wires extending from a terminal block that is typically housed within another chamber of the aerial terminal (i.e., the distribution chamber). Paired-conductor drop wires can then be terminated to the connector end of the terminal block and routed through holes in a grommet tray to the customer location. A conventional aerial terminal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,121, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the future, multi-wire distribution cables will be used to carry signals other than or in addition to communication signals. What is needed is the ability to distribute efficiently a variety of signals, including both communication signals and broadband signals, such as switched digital broadband (SDB) signals, from one or more distribution cables to customers.